Warm tights for cold winters?

Gigi

Yes, I'm already thinking about winter. A Upper Midwestern gal has to do what she has to do.

What have you found to be the warmest tights for very cold winters, say, where the temp is hardly above 0 degrees F (-18 degrees C)?

I haven't tried a lot of tights, but the best so far were some wool ones from Natural Baby: http://www.naturalbabyhome.com.....ights.html. But they do pill and collect lint.

What are your favorites for very cold weather?

11 years ago

Dressing

19 replies

Latest reply was from Gigi

rachylou

Veteran

Nowhere near temps like that here. 30 F is as low as we go. Still, I have appreciated the invention of fleece tights. And doubling up on Uniqulo Heattech tights has worked pretty well for me.

Haha. At 0F, I'd probably start living in ski pants...

11 years ago

Alana in Canada

(website)

Veteran

Anxiously watching this conversation. Have you thought about wearing silk long johns? E mentioned them in my thread about buying a skirt.

I will be wearing leggings under my pinafore for work this winter--until it gets too cold for that and I start wearing the leggings themselves under pants as long underwear.

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Rachylou, I will happily send you some of the cold weather when it comes, ha ha. I'll wait for your WIWs featuring your Country Punk ski pants.

Alana, I did buy some long silk underwear last year and liked it. It really helps. And I have a pair of winter-weight leggings from American Apparel that really did a great job keeping me warm under maxi skirts last winter. I'm trying to increase my tights inventory, though, for times when I want to be a little dressy and might wear a skirt above the knee—I don't want the leggings to be exposed (they never look as nice as tights). Maybe double-layering tights is the best idea.

11 years ago

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Gigi, that is also my dilemma. I want to wear skirts or dresses but I get cold. I have a couple of pairs of Italian mostly wool tights I got from Garnet Hill a few years back. But really the only thing that cuts it in heavy winter is those, plus something like an Eileen Fisher boiled/felted wool skirt, and knee high shearling boots.

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Ummlila, the outfit you described sounds toasty! I'm on the lookout for a wool skirt; boy, they are tough to find. I'll have to check out Garnet Hill and see what they have for tights.

11 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

As another northern Midwesterner, I can honestly say I have basically given up skirts in the depths of winter. I have yet to find tights that keep me warm enough that are also comfortable. Even with knee high shearling lined leather Uggs, most tights just aren't warm and comfy.

11 years ago

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

The last year version of this skirt was dotted and I got it from the local boutique last week on big sale for $58. And I have a herringbone from some past season, too. Not sure about this 'plaid' but don't be put off by the apparent length unless you're tall since on 5'4" me they are about knee length.

Comfort-wise, it's the equivalent of a tube skirt. Many wool skirts are very tight, lined pencils, and I find them too hard to sit in all day.

Nordstrom

Eileen Fisher Plaid Felted Wool Knit Skirt (Online Only)

$198.00 $118.80

Sale

View Info

Top Pick

11 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

I live in Central New York. I wear skirts all winter long. I definitely double up my tights, often wool/cashmere blend of some sort. One key factor I find in keeping warm is having a very long down coat that reaches down to the top of my very warm boots, and below my skirt. I wear Blondo, Aquatalia, and Ugg boots, depending on the weather conditions outside. I have three long down coats of varying weights. Also, a warm hat! .......and a scarf!.....and I carry around an insulated thermos of hot tea and sip from it because that keeps me warm when I am not outside.

11 years ago

Veteran

You can't wear tights over the leggings, so you get the best of both worlds? I layer hosiery like crazy when it's cold out. Until I can afford (...or knit...) wool tights, my silk long johns always go underneath everything else, as Alana mentioned. I've had the same 2 pairs since 2003 & they get washed & used to go in the drier too. Very sturdy.

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Ummlila, thanks for the link. I wonder if other designers make a similar animal? I had always assumed that a wool skirt would be lined, like the pencil skirts you were talking about.

Staysfit, I so agree about the coat! I have a long down coat that actually reaches to my ankles. It's a little too long, but it keeps me warm in really cold weather. Where did you get your wool/cashmere tights?

E, I hadn't thought of layering tights over leggings. I had thought of doing things the other way around, but that left me with leggings being visible, and I didn't want that. I hadn't thought about trying to put the tights over the silk long johns either. The long johns aren't as fitted to my legs as leggings, but maybe that doesn't matter; it might be good enough. I will have to try. Thanks for the ideas! Where did you get your silk long johns? I may want to get another pair for this year.

11 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

The wool cashmere tights came from Nordstrom. I have also purchased them from J Crew, but they cost more. I have some very nice merino wool tights by smart wool also. Their tights are very durable and warm.

11 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

Oops, I meant to add that the smart wool tights were available from Athleta last year, but you can also buy them direct from their website.

11 years ago

Veteran

Gigi, I know you're on the small side too, and I think that helps with tights layering: since tights are designed to fit a pretty wide variety of legs, being short & thin compared to whatever size tights you were means the tights will have more give to go over leggings or long johns. Mine definitely aren't skin tight, but they only show through the tights at the ankle cuff. I'm not sure what kind of magic makes it work, but it does.

Mine were a gift from my mom (during my freshman year of college): they're from Eddie Bauer. They have a ridiculously high rise though! When I wore them under the low rise jeans that were all the rage back then, I'd have to fold the waist down multiple times if I didn't want to risk it showing. lol They naturally sit at my belly button, and I have a very long rise. I imagine any of the outdoors-y type companies make a comparable quality one.

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Thanks, Staysfit and E! I'm excited to have more sources for warm tights. I'll definitely try the layering.

The wool tights I linked to have a very high rise also. Luckily, by the time it gets really cold, I'm wearing a long underwear top also, so that covers the top of the tights. I guess I'd rather have the rise too high than too low, though!

11 years ago

Alana in Canada

(website)

Veteran

So glad you found some options, Gigi! I am going to follow up on some of these ideas, too.

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Alana, I hope you find something that works. It's no fun to feel like your style is on hold for three months out of the year!

11 years ago

crutcher

Veteran

Not to early to prepare...The Farmer's Almanac is predicting another bad winter for the upper Midwest...Hang on..
I have had great luck with Zella's leggings, tights..Just bought a new pair at NAS...
I can't layer tights...Having two layers on the bottom is just agony for me...rather be cold...
Same said for woolen's...
Boots, tights, a layer top all keep me toasty..
Here's to another Polar Vortex...

11 years ago

Laura

Active Member

Gigi, those tights do look warm. When shopping for tights for the cooler season, I always look at the high denier ones, at least 70+ denier. They maybe less sheer but they are warm

Since I love to wear skirts, what I do is layer two or three pairs of tights during the fall / winter and combine it with a pair of tall knee high boots.

This website might be useful to you:
http://www.mytights.com/eu/hos.....nformation

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Crutcher, thanks for the Farmers Almanac prediction...I think! Ha ha. I will check out Zella at Nordie's.

Laura, I'm OK with tights not being sheer. Thanks for the link...I'll go read it right now. I was on a website the other day—can't remember which one—but it had 100 denier tights. So maybe those will be worth a try.

11 years ago

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